This invention relates generally to gas metering and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a gas meter outlet valve for selectively shutting off a supply of gas on an outlet of a gas meter.
Metered gas supply systems are frequently utilized to supply natural gas or other gasses to consumer or commercial structures. These gas systems typically include a supply line for providing a gas supply from a gas utility to the customer""s structure, piping for distributing gas within the customer""s structure, and a gas meter having an inlet coupled to the supply line and an outlet coupled to the customer piping. The gas meter therefore may be used by the gas utility to meter the supply of gas provided to the customer""s structure for billing and other purposes.
To discontinue gas service, such as to repair leaks or make modifications to the customer""s piping, the gas utility typically dispatches a technician to manually shut off the meter supplying gas to the customer""s structure. The technician physically turns a shutoff valve that is positioned on the inlet side of the gas meter, which generally is owned and operated by the gas utility. After repairs are made to the customer""s piping, a gas utility technician is again dispatched to turn the shutoff valve back on and re-energize the gas meter to restore gas service to the customer""s structure.
There are a number of disadvantages to this conventional practice, including excessive wear and tear on the gas meter from repeatedly shutting the meter off and subsequently re-energizing the meter, as well as the excessive time and cost incurred by the gas utility when technicians are dispatched to turn off and on the gas meter. Furthermore, the delay incurred while waiting for the technician to arrive often frustrates customers who are looking for their gas service to be restored.
For at least these reasons, a need exists for an improved gas meter valve and method that overcomes the disadvantages of previous gas meter valves and methods.
Aspects of the present invention overcome the problems noted above, and realize additional advantages. In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a gas meter valve for connection to a meter outlet of a gas meter is provided. The gas meter valve comprises a valve inlet coupleable to the meter outlet and adapted to communicate gas from the meter outlet, a valve outlet coupleable to piping for supplying gas to a customer and adapted to communicate gas to the piping and a valve body coupled to the valve inlet and the valve outlet. The valve body includes a chamber for communicating gas from the valve inlet to the valve outlet and a valve assembly disposed at least partially in the chamber and adapted to prevent the communication of gas through the chamber when the valve assembly is in a first position and permit the communication of gas through the chamber when the valve assembly is in a second position. The gas meter valve further includes an actuating mechanism operably coupled to the valve assembly and adapted to position the valve assembly in the first position and the second position.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a gas supply system is provided. The gas system comprises a gas meter having a meter inlet for receiving a gas supply and a meter outlet for providing the gas supply and a valve. The valve includes a valve inlet coupled to the meter outlet and adapted to communicate gas from the meter outlet, a valve outlet coupled to piping for supplying gas to a customer and adapted to communicate gas to the piping, and a valve body coupled to the valve inlet and the valve outlet. The valve body includes a chamber for communicating gas from the valve inlet to the valve outlet and a valve assembly disposed at least partially in the chamber and adapted to prevent the communication of gas through the chamber when the valve assembly is in a first position and permit the communication of gas through the chamber when the valve assembly is in a second position. The valve further includes an actuating mechanism operably coupled to the valve assembly and adapted to position the valve assembly in the first position and he second position.
In one aspect, the valve outlet includes a threaded inner surface and a bushing having a threaded outer surface and threaded inner surface, the threaded outer surface of the bushing adapted to receive the threaded inner surface of the valve outlet and the threaded inner surface of the bushing adapted to receive a threaded outer surface of the piping for supplying gas to the customer. The valve inlet may further include a swivel and swivel nut for coupling the valve inlet to the meter outlet.
In an additional aspect, the actuating mechanism includes a keyed receptacle operable to receive a tool for manipulating a position of the actuating mechanism. The actuating mechanism may include a manually operable flange mounted on an exterior of the valve body.
The valve body may further include an opening extending through a portion of the valve body and the actuating mechanism may further include an opening extending through a portion of the actuating mechanism such that the opening through the portion of the actuating mechanism is at least partially aligned with the opening through the portion of the valve body when the actuating mechanism is operated to position the valve assembly in the first position. The openings may be adapted to receive a tamper-proofing mechanism extendable through the openings to prevent the actuating mechanism from being operated to position the valve assembly in the second position.
In one aspect, the valve assembly includes a ball valve assembly. In another aspect, the valve assembly includes a soft seat valve assembly.
The valve inlet, valve outlet and valve body are arranged so as to replace an existing piping portion provided between the meter outlet of the gas meter and the piping for supplying gas to the customer. Further, in one aspect, a connection of the valve inlet to the valve body is substantially perpendicular to a connection of the valve outlet to the valve body.
In a gas supply system comprising a gas meter having a meter outlet, a first piping portion operably coupled to the meter outlet and a second piping portion operably coupled to the first piping portion, a method for shutting off a gas supply to a customer while maintaining a gas supply to the gas meter is provided. The method comprises the steps of disconnecting the first piping portion from the gas meter and the second piping portion and providing a gas meter valve. The gas meter valve comprises a valve inlet coupleable to the meter outlet and adapted to communicate gas from the meter outlet, a valve outlet coupleable to piping for supplying gas to a customer and adapted to communicate gas to the second piping portion, and a valve body coupled to the valve inlet and the valve outlet. The valve body includes a chamber for communicating gas from the valve inlet to the valve outlet and a valve assembly disposed at least partially in the chamber and adapted to prevent the communication of gas through the chamber when the valve assembly is in a first position and permit the communication of gas through the chamber when the valve assembly is in a second position. The gas meter valve further includes an actuating mechanism operably coupled to the valve assembly and adapted to position the valve assembly in the first position and the second position. The method further includes connecting the valve inlet to the meter outlet, connecting the valve outlet to the second piping portion and operating the actuating mechanism to position the valve assembly in the first position to prevent a flow of gas from the meter outlet to the second piping portion. In one aspect, the valve inlet includes a swivel and swivel nut for coupling the valve inlet to the meter outlet.
In accordance with another aspect, the method further comprises detecting a leak in the second piping portion, dispatching a gas system technician to operate the actuating mechanism to position the valve in the first position, repairing the leak in the second piping portion and dispatching an authorized repair technician to operate the actuating mechanism to position the valve in the second position.
In one aspect, the first piping portion includes a riser coupled to the meter outlet, an elbow having an inlet coupled to the riser and an outlet coupled to the second piping portion. An angle of a bend of the elbow may be substantially 90xc2x0.
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate various embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.